The Stats
First Period
0:08 Kamloops Goal-Tim Bozon, Assists-JC Lipon, Tyler Bell
0:15 Kamloops Goal-Tim Bozon, Assists-JC Lipon, Tyler Hansen
7:57 Victoria Goal-Robin Soudek, Assists-Steven Hodges, Brandon Magee
Second Period
5:16 Victoria Powerplay Goal-Hayden Rintoul, Assists-Ben Walker, Logan Nelson
18:24 Victoria Goal-Ben Walker, Assists-Jamie Crooks, Logan Nelson
Third Period
11:24 Victoria Powerplay Goal-Brandon Magee, Assists-Robin Soudek, Jamie Crooks
Win: Keith Hamilton (33 saves) Loss: Cole Cheveldave (31 saves)
The Rundown
For such an important run of games for the Royals, this one did not start the way they would have liked. Two miscues in the defensive zone resulted in two Tim Bozon goals in the first 15 seconds of the game. It seemed at that point that the rout was on and Kamloops would have their way with the Royals. For the next couple minutes after those goals the Royals seemed to just hang on as Kamloops continued to look for the next goal. Kamloops tried their best to try to make this game out of reach for the Royals early, but a faceoff win in the Blazers' zone swung the momentum. Brandon Magee was able to win the draw to Steven Hodges. Hodges then passed the pack to Soudek, who fired it home to get the home team on the board. If that goal didn't put the momentum firmly in Victoria's hands then it was most certainly the back to back penalty kills that followed. Hamilton came up huge on two very important penalty kills as the home team went to the dressing room down one after one.
The second period started with both teams trading chances. It wasn't till the about the midway mark that Hayden Rintoul wristed a powerplay goal past a screened Cole Cheveldave. The Royals continued to play their dump and chase offense, and at the same time the Royals kept the Blazers to the outside whenever they would gain the offensive zone. Victoria would take their first lead of the game off a Jamie Crooks centering pass that deflected off Ben Walker and into the open Blazers net. Hamilton continued to hold the fort in net throughout the period to keep the Blazers of the board in the second period.
The third period started with the Blazers trying to push the pace to the young Royals squad. The Royals though would not stray from their game plan and continued their hard nosed efforts on the night. Both teams started post whistle scrums and chirping after almost every whistle around the crease as the third moved along. Victoria would get the insurance goal thanks to a quick Brandon Magee snapshot powerplay goal. The Royals would continue a stingy defensive effort for the rest of the game and walked away with a 4-2 win.
Keys to the Game
Penalty Kill- The Royals killed off all 5 Kamloops powerplays. This was the best Royals penalty killing I've seen all year. They were agressive on the puck carrier and didn't get pulled out of position too much. The cliche goes: "Alot of the times your best penalty killer has to be your goalie," and boy was that also the case tonight as Keith Hamilton made some solid saves when his team was down a man. With special teams so important, especially down the stretch run, this game will hopefully be a confidence boost for this PK squad.
Team Philosophy- Ever since the Sundher trade this team has switched it's gameplan. They now play a more dump and chase game. This strategy definately suits this team better. All four lines have size and strength to forecheck along the boards. The Royals have also come together as a full team now aswell. None of them play as individuals and all of them rely on eachother when need be. Habsecheid also had a great set of lines constructed on the ice as well. The top line of Hodges-Magee-Soudek, second line of Nelson-Walker-Crooks, third line of Harrison-Carroll-Crunk, and the energy line of Conroy-Forsyth-Traber. All four of those lines bring some edge and grit to each and every shift. This team is now a hard nose hard working team, and that's the kind of mindframe that wins games.
My Three Royals of the Night
Ben Walker- This kid continues to impress me. Game after game his work ethic just continues to show how hard of a worked he is. He chipped in with the game winning goal and an assist against the Blazers. With 16 points in 23 games as a Royal this kid is showing his offensive worth. He is also very good in his own zone, putting him up their with the best two way players on the team.
Keith Hamilton- It would be easy to have written him off after those first two goals, but he was a big difference in this game. He held his team in it when both teams probably thought that it was going to be an easy night for the Blazers. He was perfect on the penalty kill and was solid whenever their was a scramble around his crease. He finished the night with 33 saves, although by watching the game you would think he never faced that many. That's just because he was so calm after those opening 15 seconds that he never really had to make an out of position save. Positionally sound and solid throughout the night.
Brandon Magee- Magee also chipped in with an assist and the insurance goal in the third period. Magee continues to take advantage of the Sundher trade. With Sundher gone Magee as thrived on the team. He is a great player for this teams dump and chase tactic because he always seems to slip by a defenseman or forward trying to pin him against the boards. He has a nose for the net and gets to the dirty areas of the ice. He was a big part of that top line tonight and I don't see him slowing down anytime soon.
Royals next game is tonight(Saturday Jan. 28th) at the SOFMC hosting the Kamloops Blazers for Pink in the Rink night.
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